Epic Hero - the Odyssey

An epic hero is a figure of great, larger-than-life stature where his most remarkable traits are those valued by his culture. The Odyssey by Homer, tells a fascinating story of king Odysseus, who takes a twenty year journey in order to return to his home of Ithaca after his great victory in the Trojan War. After many years of life risking danger, is Odysseus really considered an epic hero? What makes a true epic hero? Odysseus’ pride, intelligence, and courage are the exact traits found in an epic hero.

Odysseus is a person to be proud of because of his many accomplishments, but sometimes, his pride can put him in complications where he must test himself in order to return to his great home of Ithaca. But how did this all start? Why did it take Odysseus so long to get back home? Having angered the God of seas and earthquakes, Poseidon, because of his strong sense of pride after defeating the Trojans, he was forced on a terrifying journey to get back home. Unaware of what challenges await him, he is confident and determined to make it back to his great kingdom where his family awaits. On his way home, he and his fellow warriors and companions stop by the land of Cyclopes, where the soil is lush with grapes, grains, and livestock. After taking an unpaid visit to a Cyclops’ home and blinding one of the sons of Poseidon, Polyphemus, Odysseus’ pride quickly overcomes himself. “Puny, am I, in a cave man’s hands? How do you like the beating we gave you? How you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: Laertes’ son, whose home’s on Ithaca!” cried the great king. Because of his pride and having angered Poseidon even more, he is led into what has become one of the greatest adventures of an epic hero.

Odysseus is a man of great intelligence and a man of a great mind, a trait that is surely needed in all heroes to test that not only he is strong and determined, but is also able to think quickly to overcome the greatest of...

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...When one hears the word "hero", what first comes to mind is usually a fictional character created by a comic book company or a children's book. Did you know that Odysseus, the main character of Homer's Odyssey is the original epichero? In fact, most of these characters are ultimately based on Odysseus. The definition of an epichero has been pondered practically since the dawn of time. According to Aristotle, a true epichero must show certain qualities in their actions. These qualities include modesty and willingness to receive help, dedication and loyalty, and also showing terrific bravery. Odysseus fits this definition very well.
First of all, Odysseus manages to maintain the delicate balance between hubris and humbleness all throughout his ten year journey home from the Trojan War. Odysseus didn't allow excessive pride to overtake his emotions, by allowing others to help him. This is an essential part of an epic hero's worth. Homer established the fact that Odysseus was willing to take help in addition to friendship from Athena when he wrote, "For I never knew the gods to show such open friendship and Pallas Athene standing by Odysseus." (The Odyssey, Homer, 23.) Most men of the time would have been ashamed to receive help, but Odysseus received help gladly. In addition, he even sought help from Tiresius, the blind seer who...

...An EpicheroEpic heroes are characters in an old poem or story that people can
relate to for admire. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer,
Odysseus is that epichero. Odysseus faced many difficult situations as
an epichero, and made some bad decisions as an ordinary man,
both which show his strengths and weaknesses.
One part of the poem that shows how Odysseus is an epichero was when
he sharpened an olive tree and jabbed it in Polyphemus's
lonely one eye, so him and his men can escape. "Now by the gods, I
drove my big hand spike/ deep in the embers charring it again/
and cheered my men along with the battle talk/ to keep their courage
up: No man quitting now." [Book 9 lines 282-285] This quote
illustrates how Odysseus jabbed the olive tree in Polyphemus's eye. The
thought of home, and him and his men free made him blind
Polyphemus.
The term ordinary man relates to making mistakes, which was what
Odysseus did in book 10. Odysseus's temptation's made him
make a mistake and cheat on his wife Penelope for Circe. "We two/ shall
mingle and make love upon out bed. / So mutual trust may
come of play and love."[Book 10 lines 66-68] That quote represents
Circe's proposal to Odysseus to sleep with her, and which he
accepts and cheats on his wife.
Odysseus...

...An EpicHero With a Flaw
In one of Homer's most ancient Greek epics The Odyssey, Odysseus is clearly defined as an epichero. Although having no superpowers like the Gods, Odysseus is portrayed as brave, loyal and having cunning intelligence throughout his journey home following the fall of Troy. During his return back to Ithaca, Odysseus is faced with many challenges which derail him from his nostos / homecoming. Yet, these obstacles are not only because of the wrath of the Gods, but also due to the consequences of Odysseus' mortal flaws and weaknesses. Although smart and decisive, Odysseus suffers because of his excessive pride.
Stranded in a gigantic cave with Polyphemus the one-eyed Cyclops by his side, the wise Odysseus devises a very strategic plan. As they both sipped the dark wine from their ivy-wooded bowls, the Cyclops asks Odysseus for his name. By this time, the wine had already started to affect the Cyclops' perception. Odysseus answered wittingly: "My name is No-one. No-one's the name they have called me - my mother, my father and all the rest of my war-friends." (McCrorie 128) Displaying his God like powers, he escapes the cave by courageously blinding Polyphemus. The Cyclops lets out a maddened call for help as he moaned in pain. When the other Cyclops heard him writhing with pain, they inquired. But fooled by the intelligent Odysseus, Polyphemus responds: "My friends,...

...EPIC CONVENTIONS IN THE EPICODYSSEY
1. Have an INVOCATION
“Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide”
. The Odyssey recounts the adventures of the Greek hero Odysseus during his ten-year voyage home after the Trojan War. Homer begins with a one-paragraph invocation requesting the Muses to inspire him in the telling of his tale. Such an invocation was a convention in classical literature, notably in epics, from the time of Homer onward. In the invocation, Homer alludes to the heroics of Odysseus during the Trojan War. There, Odysseus fought valiantly and conceived the idea of presenting the Trojans a gift of a great wooden horse—a gift that resulted in triumph for the Greeks and death and destruction for the Trojans. Homer then begins telling the story.
2. Divided into THREE PARTS
PROLOGUE
The gods discuss whether or not to conclude Odysseus' punishment and allow him to return home. Zeus argues that Poseidon should be permitted to continue his vengeful punishment of Odysseus whilst Athena argues that he is only mortal and should be permitted his freedom. Zeus castigates mortals in general for their stupidity and failure to acknowledge signs from the gods. Athena counter-argues by describing Odysseus as an exception to this rule. Hermes tries to argue that Odysseus butchered the sacred cattle of the sun god Apollo,...

...Honors English 9
EpicHero Analysis
What does it take to be an epichero? To be an epichero you are required to have five specific qualities. These consist of being human-like, being a confident and courageous solider, nobility, and being in a poem containing supernatural beings that has setting is vast in scope. In the poem the Odyssey, the main character fits the criteria. Odysseus is an epichero.
An important trait to being an epichero is that the character is involved in a poem complicated by supernatural beings. To sail home in book 12, Odysseus has to navigate through the straits between two monsters, Scylla and Charybdis. As he is coming up on Scylla, he describes her:
Her legs-
And there are twelve- are like great tentacles,
unjointed, and upon her serpent necks
are borne six heads like nightmares of ferocity,
with triple serried rows of fangs and deep
gullets of black death. (12. 46-51)
These lines prove that the creature Odysseus is facing is not a human being. It shows that Scylla has 12 tentacles, six heads, and three rows of teeth. No human would have any these characteristics.
Not only does an epichero have to be involved in a poem with supernatural characters, but a poem with a setting vast in scope that involves more than one nation. Odysseus...

...﻿ An epic is a long, narrative poem in an elevated style that celebrates heroic achievement and treats themes of historical, national, religious, or legendary significance. To be qualified as an epic, the piece must contain these twelve stages: the ordinary world, the call to adventure, refusal of the call, meeting with the mentor, crossing the threshold, tests, allies and enemies, approach, the ordeal, the reward, the road back, the resurrection and the return with the elixir. Numerous stages were introduced in the first three books of The Odyssey such as the ordinary world, the call to adventure and meeting with the mentor.
To begin with, the initial stage is the ordinary world. The hero, uneasy and uncomfortable, is introduced to the audience with a dilemma; some of the hero’s personal history is presented. At the start of The Odyssey, Odysseus is introduced sympathetically. The setting reveals that he has not come back home for ten years after the Trojan War. His son, Telemachus, has grown up, and his wife, Penelope, has a mob of suitors courting her. By now, they have lost hope and convinced themselves that Odysseus is dead. This example proves the first stage because Odysseus is announced along with his predicament.
Moreover, the second stage is the call to adventure. Something unexpected occurs and the hero must adjust to the change. For instance, Athena, with the consent of...

...Marissa Mechling
Mrs. Kehl
Western Classics
Literary Analysis 1
Due: 22 March 2012
Odysseus: EpicHero or Not?
What is a hero you may ask? Merriam-Webster states that a hero is a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability; an illustrious warrior; a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities; one who shows great courage; the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work; the central figure in an event, period, or movement. I could support Merriam and say that Odysseus fits many of these descriptions and characteristics. In the words of Margalit Finkelberg:
Six times in the Odyssey the life-experience of Odysseus is defined by the word aethlos. Both in Homer and in Greek in general this word (athlos after Homer) and its cognates have two meanings: of 'athletic contest' and of 'labour', the latter being best exemplified by the labours of Heracles. (Finkelberg) Odysseus is known worldwide from his undertakings and his courage, he is surprisingly favored by some of the gods, and he defeats many monsters throughout his journey. Odysseus is the only Homeric hero who, in both the Iliad and the Odyssey, bears the epithet polutlas, 'much-enduring', and who is systematically described (in the Odyssey only) as passing through compromise and humiliation: his three adventures in beggar's...

...Odysseus as an EpicHero
What is the difference between a regular hero and an epichero? Odysseus from Fagle’s translation of Homer’s The Odyssey and Claybourne’s The Adventures of Ulysses qualifies as an epichero based on his daring adventures and actions on his detour home from Troy. He earns this title by traveling to various settings, many of which he has never before set foot on, setting himself apart from other men based on his actions of superhuman courage and great valor, and having the gods intervene in his quest from time to time. Readers will learn how Odysseus comes to fame from his exploits after the time of the Trojan War. Primarily, Odysseus proves to be worthy of an epichero status from being well-traveled.
On his journey back to Ithaca from Troy, Odysseus encounters new lands and discovers the new cultures of those areas. One of the first places he and his crew visits is the Land of the Lotus-Eaters, which is on the northern tip of Africa, a continent none of them has ever experienced before. There, Odysseus finds that the Lotus-Eaters feed his crew their food, which makes them lose any desire to return home. Although the stop does not help in getting the crew home, Odysseus learns not to rest in the Land of the Lotus- Eaters on future voyages. Also, Odysseus and his crew make a stop in Sicily, land of the...